Ghana’s head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren has praised the performance of the Black Queens despite their 2-0 loss to defending champions South Africa in their opening Group C match at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The much-anticipated clash saw Ghana concede twice in the first half, with Linda Motlhalo opening the scoring from the penalty spot after Grace Asantewaa was judged to have fouled Noxolo Cesane in the box a decision that came after a VAR review.
Moments later, Jermaine Seoposenwe added a second with a sharp low finish, giving Banyana Banyana a commanding lead heading into the break.
Despite the early setback, Coach Bjorkegren found positives in his side’s showing.
“I’m really happy with the first hour of the game until the penalty came,” he told reporters. “They scored from the penalty, it came from nowhere. After that, we gave them the opportunity to score another one, and that was the problem.”
“When we lose concentration, we give the ball away too much. But otherwise, I think the performance was good.”
The coach’s comments reflect a determination to regroup and focus on the positives as Ghana seeks to keep its hopes of qualification alive in the tournament.
The Black Queens face Mali next on July 11, a match that could prove decisive for their ambitions in Morocco.
